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Dine Brands Global · 1 day ago

Operations & Strategy Project Manager – Strategy & Planning (IHOP)

Pasadena, CA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level

$115K/yr - $130K/yr

5+ years exp

Dine Brands Global, Inc. is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world, operating well-known brands like IHOP. The Operations & Strategy Project Manager is responsible for aligning operational initiatives with business objectives, driving growth, and ensuring operational excellence through effective project management and cross-functional collaboration.

ConsumerFood and BeverageFranchiseMarketingRestaurants

Growth Opportunities

Responsibilities

Support planning and execution of testing and cross-functional strategic priorities

Build and maintain project plans, timelines, trackers, and work backs; ensure milestones and deadlines are met

Prepare clear, data-driven updates and recaps for PMO leadership and cross-functional teams

Coordinate working sessions with stakeholders across departments to maintain clarity on priorities, next steps, and dependencies

Facilitate communication across levels, creating alignment and visibility from project teams to leadership

Help identify risks and roadblocks early, escalating concerns to the Director, PMO and functional leads as needed

Facilitate the development of recommended mitigation strategies and track resolution progress

Facilitate baseline research, data gathering, and insights synthesis to support decision-making

Contribute to creating or refining PMO tools, templates, and processes that improve repeatability, efficiency, and cross-functional clarity

Coordinate cross-functional initiatives to ensure readiness for restaurant implementation, including documentation, training support, resource planning, and partnership with Field and Operations teams to validate rollout readiness

Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and success criteria; track milestones, dependencies, risks, resource needs, and benefits realization

Manage stage-gate activities aligned to initiative complexity, ensuring teams are prepared for pilot, rollout, and broader scale

Create and maintain KPIs, dashboards, stakeholder maps, and communication cadences to support alignment, visibility, and effective decision-making

Serve as a primary point of coordination between leadership, corporate partners, and field teams, ensuring consistent communication and alignment on priorities

Document and maintain SOPs, workflows, RACIs, and approval processes to drive operational clarity and consistency

Apply appropriate project management methodologies (agile, waterfall, hybrid) and continuous improvement practices to improve efficiency, reduce rework, and shorten cycle times

Provide clear, timely, and accurate project updates, status reports, and documentation to support accountability and cross-functional execution

Qualification

Restaurant industry knowledgeBusiness analyticsProject managementCAPMPMP certificationChange managementAnalytical skillsExcelWordPowerPointMeeting facilitationCommunication skillsCollaborationProblem-solvingOrganizational skillsAdaptability

Required

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Hospitality, Marketing, or a related field

5-8 years of professional related experience, including 4+ years in project management

Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear, concise presentations and executive-level summaries

Effective collaborator with strong interpersonal and leadership capabilities; able to build trust, influence stakeholders, and work across all levels of the organization

Skilled meeting facilitator who drives alignment, documents decisions, and translate ambiguity into structured action plans

Highly organized and detail-oriented, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and follow-through

Solid project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills

Adaptable and calm under pressure, able to manage shifting priorities, tight timelines, and ambiguous situations with confidence

Demonstrates integrity, accountability, and a proactive ownership mindset with a commitment to teamwork and knowledge-sharing

Proficiency with project management tools; ability to become Smartsheet-proficient within 30 days

Advanced Excel skills required; strong proficiency in Word and PowerPoint

Preferred

Experience in restaurant, hospitality, retail, or franchise organizations

CAPM or PMP or other project management certification

Experience running a full project lifecycle, including development, design, testing, implementation, issue resolution, and post-implementation support

Experience supporting change management initiatives

Experience in client- or agency-facing environments, ideally within retail, CPG, or restaurant/hospitality; franchise experience is a plus

Familiarity with content development workflows and marketing campaign processes; ability to translate business objectives into actionable content plans